Part 3 (1/2)

”And the prophecy, 'binding His foal to the vine and was.h.i.+ng His robe in the blood of the grape,' was a significant symbol of the things which were to happen to Christ, and of what He was to do. For the foal of an a.s.s stood bound to a vine at the entrance of a village, and He ordered His acquaintances to bring it to Him then; and when it was brought He mounted and sat upon it, and entered Jerusalem.” (Apol. I. ch. x.x.xii.)

Justin in a subsequent place (Dial. ch. liii.) notices the fact only mentioned in St. Matthew, that Jesus commanded the disciples to bring both an a.s.s and its foal:--

”And truly our Lord Jesus Christ, when He intended to go into Jerusalem, requested His disciples to bring Him a certain a.s.s, along with its foal, which was bound in an entrance of a village called Bethphage; and, having seated Himself on it, He entered into Jerusalem.”

Justin thus describes the inst.i.tution of the Eucharist:--

”For the Apostles, in the Memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and, when He had given thanks, said, 'This do ye in remembrance of me, this is My body;' and that after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, 'This is My blood;' and gave it to them alone.” (Apol. i. ch. lxvi.)

He thus adverts to the dispersion of the Apostles:--

”Moreover, the prophet Zechariah foretold that this same Christ would be smitten and His disciples scattered: which also took place.

For after His Crucifixion the disciples that accompanied Him were dispersed.” (Dial. ch. liii.)

He mentions our Lord's agony as the completion of a prophecy in Psalm xxii.:--

”For on the day on which He was to be crucified, having taken three of His disciples to the hill called Olivet, situated opposite to the temple at Jerusalem, He prayed in these words: 'Father, if it be possible, lot this cup pa.s.s from Me.' And again He prayed, 'Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.'” (Dial. xcix.)

His sweating great drops of blood (mentioned only in St. Luke), also in fulfilment of Psalm xxii.--

”For in the memoirs which I say were drawn up by His Apostles, and those who followed them [it is recorded] that His sweat fell down like drops of blood while He was praying, and saying, 'If it be possible, let this cup pa.s.s.'” [34:1] (Ch. ciii.)

His being sent to Herod (mentioned only in St. Luke):--

”And when Herod succeeded Archelaus, having received the authority which had been allotted to him, Pilate sent to him by way of compliment Jesus bound; and G.o.d, foreknowing that this would happen, had thus spoken, 'And they brought Him to the a.s.syrian a present to the king.'” (Ch. ciii.)

His silence before Pilate, also quoted by Justin, in fulfilment of Psalm xxii.:--

”And the statement, 'My strength is become dry like a potsherd, and my tongue has cleaved to my throat,' was also a prophecy of what would be done by Him according to the Father's will. For the power of His strong word, by which He always confuted the Pharisees and Scribes, and, in short, all your nation's teachers that questioned Him, had a cessation like a plentiful and strong spring, the waters of which have been turned off, when He kept silence, and chose to return no answer to any one in the presence of Pilate; as has been declared in the Memoirs of His Apostles.” (Dial. ch. cii.)

His crucifixion:

”And again, in other words, David in the twenty-first Psalm thus refers to the suffering and to the cross in a parable of mystery: 'They pierced my hands and my feet; they counted all my bones; they considered and gazed upon me; they parted my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.' For when they crucified Him, driving in the nails, they pierced His hands and feet; and those who crucified Him parted His garments among themselves, each casting lots for what he chose to have, and receiving according to the decision of the lot.” (Ch. xcvii.)

The mocking of Him by His enemies:--

”And the following: 'All they that see Me laughed Me to scorn; they spake with the lips; they shook the head: He trusted in the Lord, let Him deliver Him since He desires Him;' this likewise He foretold should happen to Him. For they that saw Him crucified shook their heads each one of them, and distorted their lips, and, twisting their noses to each other, they spake in mockery the words which are recorded in the Memoirs of His Apostles, 'He said He was the Son of G.o.d: let Him come down; let G.o.d save Him.'” (Ch. ci.)

His saying, ”My G.o.d, my G.o.d, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (reported only in SS. Matthew and Mark):--

”For, when crucified, He spake, 'O G.o.d, my G.o.d, why hast Thou forsaken me?'” (Ch. xcix.)

His saying, ”Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit,” reported only in St. Luke:--

”For, when Christ was giving up His spirit on the cross, He said, 'Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit,' as I have learned also from the Memoirs.” (Ch. cv.)